LIONS Garden Herb Spiral

The LMU Inspiration, Organic, and Native Sustainability (LIONS) Garden has made plans to design and construct an herb spiral by June 2014 in a newly sheet-mulched space of the garden’s landscaping. The herb spiral design that we plan to install is based on the principles of permaculture—an ideology and practice of agriculture that emphasizes the importance of intentional garden and farm designs that complement natural and human needs. The herb spiral design allows for up to thirty feet of linear space to be condensed in a spiral formation on a helical mound. This three-dimensional design, by default, creates a range of microclimates as a result of each side of the mound receiving different levels of sunlight and moisture. Each herb is then planted in a microclimate that best fits its needs. For instance, herbs such as rosemary are planted on the side of the mound that receives the most sunlight as they thrive in hot and dry climates. This addition to the LIONS Garden will not only serve as an aesthetically pleasant feature, but also as an ecologically sensitive example of organic agriculture.

As an educational feature, the spiral will be included in the two hour LIONS Garden volunteer work days, and will provide research opportunities for the students participating in LMU’s forty environmental science and environmental studies courses. Furthermore, the agricultural feature will facilitate outdoor plant learning experiences for the 200 preschoolers attending the LMU Child Care Center. In addition to fostering educational experiences, by the end of summer 2014, the herb spiral will be capable of producing at least ten pounds of harvest for LMU’s Feed the Hungry program and for off-campus Food Bank donation. LMU’s Dining Services, managed by Sodexo, is also highly interested in planning one catered function per semester that showcases locally grown produce.